Amen, amen! It requires the right culture and being asked often. The Catholic ministry where I work is not funded at all by outside sources, but the work has been going on for 20 years and so there is the advantage of a parish culture that is already formed. It takes a while to get there: prayer, education, and transparency all form a part; helping faithful people to see the ministry not only as service (which could easily be done better with grants - and even by turning over to some NGO) but rather as working out our own salvation and drawing others to Christ.
Thank you, Br. Steven, for sharing this. I appreciate and agree with your stand. Thank you for the reminder of how the Church in the Book of Acts was capable to take care of her poor. The example of the Macedonian churches (2 Cor 8:1-5) show that we don't need to wait to be wealthy churches to be a blessing to others. I just want to mention something. I remember watching a video where a Muslim businessman was appreciated by a reporter for helping some poor families. But the man refused to take credit. He insisted that he was not giving more than his 'zakat' - his religious obligation. And he implied that all muslims gave their zakat and that his contribution, though substantially large, was the same in terms of the percentage that all his community members were used to giving. As I listened to him, I wished that many of my parish members shared a similar conviction - that we have an obligation and a duty to take care of the poor - because we have been given so much.
I appreciate your stand against taking outside funds, especially from the government. In my opinion that is a huge no-no for Christian ministries.
I am the director of an international Christian non-profit. When we first started there were a lot of temptations to apply for grants from government agencies and secular organizations. I thank God that we never did.
We have never missed budget, and every year since 2007 our annual donations income has increased each year. We give God all the glory because we have spent very little on fundraising. Some years our only fundraising expenses have been paying for our website and social media presence.
I always tell people that this is God's work, so it's up to him to find it. And He does.
However, my philosophy has always been that it is never wrong to ask God's people for God's money to do God's work. If it truly is God's work, He will supply what is needed.
We started very small, with just a few hundred dollars in our account. Now we have an annual budget of more than half a million dollars.
By the way, none of us on the American side take a salary. We are all volunteers. We do have some international workers who get paid for their work.
Where God guides, God provides. It's really that simple.
Seriously? No, I am not donating money in order for you to send delegations to a partisan political demonstration that heretically demands laws to control and punish only women. No, I am not donating money so that your bishops can cover up child abuse, obstruct justice, and perpetuate demonic misogyny. Sorry, but try gaining the trust of orthodox women again, try speaking out against our silencing, try speaking out against what is happening, and we might, try to forgive and forget...
Forgive me, I'm afraid I don't understand the context behind your comment (at least as it pertains to the ministries I had in mind when writing this). Though I'm also sorry for any ways you've been hurt. Lord have mercy.
The problem is we give too much money back to the old country. Not a lot of money stays here. To help the American churches. We send them all back. To the old countries
Thanks Steve. I’m sharing this with our parish community.
I hope it encourages some more generosity!
Amen, amen! It requires the right culture and being asked often. The Catholic ministry where I work is not funded at all by outside sources, but the work has been going on for 20 years and so there is the advantage of a parish culture that is already formed. It takes a while to get there: prayer, education, and transparency all form a part; helping faithful people to see the ministry not only as service (which could easily be done better with grants - and even by turning over to some NGO) but rather as working out our own salvation and drawing others to Christ.
Amen to that!
Thank you, Br. Steven, for sharing this. I appreciate and agree with your stand. Thank you for the reminder of how the Church in the Book of Acts was capable to take care of her poor. The example of the Macedonian churches (2 Cor 8:1-5) show that we don't need to wait to be wealthy churches to be a blessing to others. I just want to mention something. I remember watching a video where a Muslim businessman was appreciated by a reporter for helping some poor families. But the man refused to take credit. He insisted that he was not giving more than his 'zakat' - his religious obligation. And he implied that all muslims gave their zakat and that his contribution, though substantially large, was the same in terms of the percentage that all his community members were used to giving. As I listened to him, I wished that many of my parish members shared a similar conviction - that we have an obligation and a duty to take care of the poor - because we have been given so much.
Indeed, I do think we have such a duty to each other!
I appreciate your stand against taking outside funds, especially from the government. In my opinion that is a huge no-no for Christian ministries.
I am the director of an international Christian non-profit. When we first started there were a lot of temptations to apply for grants from government agencies and secular organizations. I thank God that we never did.
We have never missed budget, and every year since 2007 our annual donations income has increased each year. We give God all the glory because we have spent very little on fundraising. Some years our only fundraising expenses have been paying for our website and social media presence.
I always tell people that this is God's work, so it's up to him to find it. And He does.
However, my philosophy has always been that it is never wrong to ask God's people for God's money to do God's work. If it truly is God's work, He will supply what is needed.
We started very small, with just a few hundred dollars in our account. Now we have an annual budget of more than half a million dollars.
By the way, none of us on the American side take a salary. We are all volunteers. We do have some international workers who get paid for their work.
Where God guides, God provides. It's really that simple.
Yeah, I think people are a lot more generous than we give them credit for!
May God bless your work!
Wonderful! Thank you Steve!
Glory to God!
Great timing thank you
Glory to God!
Seriously? No, I am not donating money in order for you to send delegations to a partisan political demonstration that heretically demands laws to control and punish only women. No, I am not donating money so that your bishops can cover up child abuse, obstruct justice, and perpetuate demonic misogyny. Sorry, but try gaining the trust of orthodox women again, try speaking out against our silencing, try speaking out against what is happening, and we might, try to forgive and forget...
Forgive me, I'm afraid I don't understand the context behind your comment (at least as it pertains to the ministries I had in mind when writing this). Though I'm also sorry for any ways you've been hurt. Lord have mercy.
The problem is we give too much money back to the old country. Not a lot of money stays here. To help the American churches. We send them all back. To the old countries